UMM BILAL READS: THE DUCKTRINORS

Author: Papatia Feauxzar

Publisher: Djarabi Kitabs Publishing

Year: 2015

Papatia as with all her works dared to be different with this one. This book is the first of its kind that I have come across. I cannot place it in any one genre.  It is a sci-fi, YA lit with a deen twist. And Yes! It has clones, teleporters, robots and flying horses. References were made to Lady Gaga and Katy Perry as old school pop stars (Lol!)

The story is set around Hanifa. She and her family are in a new city where religion is banned and secularism is wide-spread. Those who choose to keep at their religion have to practice in hiding. Hanifa finds herself in a new school and like Papatia dares to be different. She is young, courageous, determined and ambitious. She has her eyes on the price and would do anything to achieve her goal – to lead an expedition to tarsus in Turkey to find the people of the cave (Yes! the ones mentioned in Surah Al-Kahf).

I was really impressed by the print and the page quality, plus the font is just perfect. Apart from some of the names that are a mouthful😁, the language is crisp and flow is great.

What stood out for me;

♡Papatia did not try to make Hanifa into a perfect sinless muslimah. She was so easy to identify with and connect to.

♡Oh! The subtle hint of romance.

♡The cliffhanger – Yes! This is only book 1.

The book is unlike anything else. It is a mix of drama, suspense, spy thriller, and dash of romance. I would recommend this book to teenagers or adults who enjoy sci-fi or YA lit.

Dearest Papatia: your imagination is…. MashaAllah.